Few items of clothing project fantasy like a caftan — the loose robe worn for centuries in Northern Africa and brought to the West in the 1960s by Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor with a taste for anything exotic. According to Eleanor Dwight's biography, Vreeland discovered caftans in Morocco in the early 1960s; by 1964 they were prominently featured in Harper's Bazaar, and soon the world's most beautiful, fabulous women were floating around in them.

Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing expects Taylor's recent death to inspire the next wave of fashion collections. Designers' continuing love affair with the '70s could also bring fall caftans in heavier fabrics such as lamé and lurex, he said.

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"The caftan has transcended trends because it shows no time of day," Downing added. "It can be dressed up with beautiful details around the neck to go effortlessly from day to evening and can also be perfect for entertaining around the pool."

A few years ago, he added, caftans had a reputation as being a mature woman's style. But on the wave of bohemian trending, young designers have reinterpreted them, and young celebrities are wearing them. "It's not unusual to see the Olsen twins in caftans at Hollywood events," Downing said.

The evolution has brought shorter tops he calls "caftanettes" as well as knee-length dresses with billowing sleeves, sometimes one-shouldered. "I love them with a narrow cigarette pant; even one with a tuxedo seam. Creating volume on top with a narrow bottom is always a good look," he said.

Flowing in sheer, printed chiffons and delicate silks, caftans are a breezy antidote to even the hottest summer day. That sensibility often plays out in winged motifs — feathers, butterflies and dragonflies.